


Wine and Whine

by Compunctions



Category: The Simpsons
Genre: Drunken Confessions, Feelings, Gen, Implications of Lisa/Bart/Nelson/Martin, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Just two siblings being siblings I suppose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:20:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25152283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Compunctions/pseuds/Compunctions
Summary: Lisa and Nelson break up - again. Bart is there for Lisa - again.
Relationships: Bart Simpson & Lisa Simpson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Wine and Whine

"I love you."

The words come tumbling out, drunk, like Homer after one too many at Moe's. Bart isn't surprised; he knows Lisa loves him. They might fight, they might not always agree, but they'll always come together at the end. Distantly, he thinks of their peewee hockey days, where they were on different teams and almost hated each other. He remembers holding her tight, so tight, and being so glad they still have each other.

They still have each other now, over ten years later. They sit in Bart's old treehouse, which somehow stands despite Homer's shoddy DIY skills and the wood slowly rotting away. Still, the treehouse feels safer than either of their bedrooms, where either of their parents could walk in. They share a bottle of wine, but it's less sharing and more Bart taking giant gulps while Lisa takes smaller sips. She's leaning against one of the walls, with Bart by her side.

She's drunker than him, but that doesn't mean he's not drunk. He tries to avoid alcohol where he can, but it's a vice he cannot abstain from; alcoholism runs in his blood on both sides. That doesn't mean he has to go down that route, and he should stop Lisa, but this is a rare treat for both of them. Her usually perfectly styled hair is a mess, eyes puffy from crying. He's seen this so many times before, over and over again. It's been going on since she was eight, and it's still going on now at nineteen. Honestly, if Bart wasn't still slightly terrified of Nelson, he'd beat the shit out of him.

Right now, that's not what matters. What matters is his sister crying beside him, swiping at her eyes with her palms. She's been on-off crying for thirty minutes as she vaguely described what happened. Bart couldn't follow, but he didn't need to, it's the same reasons as it's always been. He's not what she wants, that much he knows. What was her other choice? Milhouse? Then again, she should have plenty of boys piling over her at her fancy nerd school, but for whatever reason, she keeps falling back to Nelson.

"Are you talking to me or the wine?" Bart eventually answers, and she shoves him.

"You, obviously, but the wine is another good friend," she hums.

He swipes the bottle from her. "I think you've had enough."

She huffs, displeased, before leaning her head on his shoulder. Lisa stinks of wine, with a faint hint of the perfume Bart had bought her last-minute for Christmas. It was cheap and came by the gallon, all the way from beautiful Paris (Texas, but the bottle won't advertise that). It smells nice on her, somehow, despite it stinking the moment she opened that bottle. Why did she even wear it? He's never asked, but maybe it's all for show while they're home for the weekend.

"Yeah, I've had enough," she mutters bitterly, "I've had enough of a lot of stuff."

She says it with such purpose, but Bart doesn't know what she means. She closes her eyes, and she looks almost at peace with him. She tucks her arms into herself, sighing softly.

"Why can't I love someone else? Why does it have to be him?" Lisa asks.

Bart doesn't have an answer. Nelson isn't a bad guy, but his morals aren't perfect. Nor are Bart's, not really. He shrugs, humming a sound close to  _ I don't know,  _ because he doesn't. He's always wondered, but he's never asked.

"He's kinda hot," Bart suggests.

"Bart!"

She looks at him like she's trying to figure out if he's joking or not. It's hard not to notice someone like Nelson - even harder when he was Bart's ex bully. Ex something else, too, but they never labelled it. Never had to. The memory of them kissing on Bart's bed and Marge coming in still haunts him to his day.  _ You know he's with Lisa _ . Oh, he knew: that was why he did it. He never told Lisa, but whether or not she knew, he doesn't know. It's another one of those things they don't talk about, and one he can't bring up.

"Do you even like him?" he asks.

"Nelson?" she asks, like she's completely forgotten who she's spent  _ years _ crying over. "I love him."

"Yeah, but do you like him? Like I love Homer, but I don't like him."

Lisa pauses. "That's not quite the same thing, Bart."

Clearly, it strikes a chord in her, because she goes quiet. She picks at her chewed nails as she ponders his question, but even Bart knows the answer. No. She doesn't like Nelson. She likes this imagined version of him, who he could be, but isn't. Girls like Lisa never last with guys like Nelson, not without losing Lisa or losing Nelson in some way.

"I don't know," she says finally. "I don't even know if I really love him."

"Woah, all it took was Mom's wine for you to finally say it," Bart says, laughing. Lisa, however, doesn't laugh.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do, Bart. I can't keep doing this, I--"

And she's back to crying. Bart groans - he's never been good with feelings, especially not Lisa. Everything about her is so much more complicated than himself, right down to her feelings. Bart is simple, so simple. Somehow, he could understand Lisa still, but he doesn't feel like he can help her. Getting drunk in the treehouse was a bad idea, and he realises it now. He puts an arm around her, and she shuffles into his embrace.

"I think I love someone else. But I'm really, really scared."

Bart looks down at her. "It's not Milhouse, is it?"

"Eww," she grimaces, but she snorts a laugh through her tears. "I wish."

What would Homer say if it  _ was _ Milhouse? He would probably laugh; Lisa got  _ the dud _ . Homer never did like Milhouse, that little wiener kid. Milhouse hasn't changed from age ten, and Bart knows this. They have an apartment together in Capitol City, a tiny little thing that they can both barely afford. But Lisa doesn't love Milhouse - thankfully. Bart wonders if Milhouse would be crushed to hear that. He's never quite moved on.

"Guy or girl?" Bart asks.

"Guy."

"Do I know him?"

Lisa grumbles. "Yes."

"Jimbo? Kearney? Dolph? It's not Martin, is it? I'm pretty sure he came out--"

"Bart!"

He stops immediately. She's looking up at him, big hazel eyes staring at him. Something about that look stops Bart's heart, and he can't explain it. He wants to touch her face, to wipe away those tears that ruin her face. He wants to stroke her hair. It's not an unfamiliar feeling, not with Lisa. He wants to protect her, to make it all better for her. He's never felt this way about Maggie, but then, he and Maggie have never had that bond. She sinks against him.

"I just think he's using me as a replacement," she says. Catching Bart's confusion, she continues. "He's been talking to Martin a lot. It's not that I worry he's stealing Nelson because he's gay, but…"

She rubs at her eyes again, before tucking her head under Bart's chin. He holds her tight, and doesn't let go. Not when she needs him most. When it comes to Nelson, however, she always needs Bart, and he'll always be there for her. He's never experienced this sort of heartbreak, not the constant on-off whirlwind that is Nelson Muntz. He would have never let it get this far.

He tells himself that, but he hadn't forgotten about Jessica Lovejoy.

Lisa should do better - she's much smarter than Bart will ever be. She should be able to get out of the pattern, and he doesn't understand why she doesn't leave. If she loves someone else, why not go to them? She normally makes things seem simple, but not this. This is tangled, complicated, messy. Bart wants to take scissors to it and cut it all up, including that stupid mullet Nelson has been sporting.

When did he start feeling such animosity towards an old friend? Maybe when things didn't lead anywhere when they were sixteen. Maybe because they're now twenty-one and Nelson is still stringing Lisa along like this. Bart doesn't search his feelings too often.

"Bart, I think Nelson is gay. Not bisexual, just gay."

It takes a few moments for his drunk brain to drum up the appropriate reaction. "Oh. Huh."

Lisa scoffs. "I know  _ you _ know. Nelson told me all about it. But I think he's using me as a beard, like I'm some discount  _ Martin _ ."

"Martin is a wiener," Bart interjects.

"Yeah," Lisa says bitterly, reaching for the wine, "he really is."

This time, Bart doesn't stop her. She unscrews the top and takes the last gulp of the wine, before relaxing against him once again. He rubs her arm without thinking, without saying anything.

"I know what he's doing, because I know I'm doing the same thing."

"You said you were into a guy!" Bart says.

"I am! But it's complicated."

It's complicated, but she won't explain. In this state, Lisa wouldn't make any sense even if she tried. She fiddles with the wine bottle label until it peels off, and sticks it to the treehouse floor. Bart whines.

"Hey! This is why no girls were allowed in my treehouse," he mutters bitterly. He tries picking at it, but gives up almost immediately. Nah, he'll do it tomorrow.

Lisa giggles softly. "You could just never get a girl in here. Or in your bedroom."

He nudges her. "Shut up."

She laughs again, her tears forgotten. She's settled against him, eyes half-closed. She hums happily.

"I love you."

"How many times are you gonna say that tonight?" Bart groans. "God, you're embarrassing."

Lisa tries another laugh, but it's much sadder than the last. "I know."

He doesn't get it, but he'll never get Lisa. He doesn't ask her anything, and soon, she's asleep. Ah, she can't hold her booze. Looks like he's stuck with her for the night. Fantastic. He presses a kiss to the top of her hair.

"I love you too. You big nerd."


End file.
